Changed
by Remo Con
Summary: The night of Aragorn's coronation celebration, Pippin seaks to hide away, but Merry won't let him and is determined he will smile. Slash


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Disclaimer: Look! The goes Peter Jackson! He's arm in arm with J. R. R. Tolkien! The guy to whom LOTR belongs to! And guess what else! He didn't write this fic- I did! So do I own LOTR? NO! (breaks down in tears)

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Changed

Pippin stood in the shadows that were dancing around the hall, tucked in a corner as he watched the big folk join together in merriment. In fact it seemed almost as if all of Gondor and Rohan had cramped together this night. Watching as he was, Pippin saw Faramir quietly exit. He did not think anyone else had noticed- most were not sober enough too! Even Lord Elrond was beginning to seem a bit tipsy, and _that_ was certainly something worth witnessing.

"Watcha doin', Pip?" Merry asked, pushing his way over to the corner and settling himself against the younger hobbit, two pints full of ale sloshing around in his hands.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Pippin replied, taking the pint Merry offered him.

"Well it looks to me like my cousin is not enjoying himself as much as he should," Merry said, taking a gulp of his ale. "Nor as much as he usually would be."

"I am so enjoying myself," Pippin lied, drinking down half his ale to prove it. "See- fun! Lots and lots of -"

"Drinking," Merry interrupted. "And not even enough of that to put a drunken smile on your face if you are incapable of a real one at the moment."

"I could smile," Pippin retorted. "I could smile for a hundred years if I wanted to."

"But you don't want to," Merry said pointedly. "And that's what worries me. Sauraman and Sauron are gone. The ring is destroyed- Middle Earth is saved, and we helped do it. Doesn't that make you even a little happy?"

"Of course it does," Pippin snapped, suddenly very aware of all the people around them. People who could be listening, hanging on every word they spoke. Though, he though wryly, catching sight of a fellow dunking his head in a barrel of some sort of liquor, it was unlikely.

"Then why won't you smile, Pip?" Merry inquired, looking deep into Pippin's eyes. The younger hobbit held the gaze for a few moments before he averted his eyes and a small blush came to his cheeks.

"I've changed, Merry, that's all," Pippin said in explanation. "We all have."

"Yes, we have changed," Merry agreed. "We're better people, better hobbits now. We've matured, but that doesn't mean we can't still be happy."

"I'm sorry," Pippin said, his eyes flickering shut. "It's just…there are things I can't forget. Images, Merry, burned into my head." His eyes shot open.

"I can't sleep, can barely close my eyes," Pippin continued hoarsely, his voice trembling slightly. "The images are always there." An involuntary shudder coursed through Pippin's body.

Pity and understanding merged together in Merry's eyes as they continued to look at his cousin, wondering what he could do to help.

"You should go," Pippin sighed. "Go enjoy yourself. Laugh, drink, don't waste the last hours of the night depressing yourself with me."

"Pip," Merry began.

"No, you should," Pippin insisted. "I mean it."

"I'm not leaving this corner until you do," Merry announced decidedly.

"Why?" Pippin asked, frustrated. "I mean-" But whatever the hobbit meant, the world was never to know, for it was at that moment Merry chose to capture Pippin's lips with his own.

Pippin stiffened in surprise at first, but then he relaxed into the kiss and even began to return it before Merry pulled back, a smile dancing on his lips.

"There, Pip," Merry said happily. "I knew you could smile if given the right incentive." And so he was, Pippin realized. He was smiling like a lovesick fool. He touched his lips gently in wonder and look at Merry.

"Thank you," he said.

"Any time," Merry said honestly. "Now, what do you say we go have some fun."

"I say," Pippin said, grinning now. "That sounds like a brilliant idea."

END

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And another LOTR one shot. Definitely slash. But hey, Merry and Pippin were asking for it, honestly, after you watch the movie how can anyone not think that! (In the Rohan as Gandalf and Pippin ride away) Pippin: Merry! Merry! I love you Merry! Merry! (Merry rushes up to the tower to watch his beloved ride away) and that is just the first sign. Oh wait, none of you wanted to hear about that, did you. My bad…damn sugar…but anyway, PLEASE REVIEW! Come on people, let's see this one shot get some major reviews. (My shrink) You do realize now that you said that, you'll be lucky to get one. (Me) Go to hell…Remo


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